Always Be Learning
As a kid growing up, I studied music in school and played a few different instruments. One instrument I always wanted to learn was the guitar, which I never did because I could only play what the school had available for free, since my parents couldn’t afford to buy me my own.
I think the most important skill anyone can have is the ability to learn. After all, my belief is that the whole point of going to school is to learn how to learn, rather than memorizing course material. This is something my father told me long ago, and it’s stuck with me ever since.
Research backs this up. Studies show that people with a “growth mindset” – those who believe abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work – tend to achieve more than those with a “fixed mindset” who believe talents are innate gifts1. The ability to learn continuously turns out to be one of the strongest predictors of success in virtually any field.
I’ve done many job interviews in my life, and usually when you’re interviewing for some specific role, the interviewer tries to assess your skills and whether they fit the role. I like to avoid answering these questions specifically, and instead focus on the fact that I am skilled at learning anything. By the way – don’t follow in my footsteps – if you want to pass an interview, you should tell the interviewer what they want to hear (which isn’t your life philosophy).
One fear I have is becoming stagnant. I find I’m happiest when I’m always learning, growing, and improving my skills. I like to be outside my comfort zone – being in my comfort zone is something that makes me uncomfortable.
And while this is merely anecdotal, I also think that learning new things really improves your ability to be creative in different areas. Neuroscience suggests there’s truth to this. When we learn new skills, our brains form new neural pathways and strengthen existing ones, a process known as neuroplasticity2. These connections don’t exist in isolation – they often enhance our cognitive abilities across seemingly unrelated domains.
This might explain why so many successful people have diverse interests. Einstein played violin, Richard Feynman was an accomplished bongo player, and Maya Angelou spoke several languages. Their varied pursuits likely contributed to their brilliance in their primary fields.
So I recently bought myself a guitar and started taking lessons. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, and it’s never too late to learn. I’ll get back to trying to play Brown Eyed Girl, and hopefully Van Morrison doesn’t get too disgusted by my attempts. If you’re reading this Mr. Morrison, I promise I’m not trying to ruin your song.